155 Ganesh mandals in Thane wait for permission

With merely 10 days remaining for Ganpati festival, almost 155 pandals in the city are still awaiting permission from the authorities.

With merely 10 days remaining for Ganpati festival, almost 155 pandals in the city are still awaiting permission from the authorities.

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Ganeshotsav will be celebrated from September 2 to 12.

Since last year, Thane Municipal Corporation started giving pandal permissions online but mandals prefer offline as not all are well-versed with computers.

This year, almost 90 per cent pandals have sought permission offline.

There are 29 organisers who have not got permission in Lokmanya Nagar, 26 in Vartak Nagar and 25 in Wagale Estate.

The corporation said most of the pandals have not fulfilled some of the norms before seeking permission, so approvals are pending.

An official from TMC said, “This year, we have received 174 applications from Ganesh mandals across the city. Only nine filed for online permission while 165 are filed offline. We have given permission to 19 mandals so far. Most of them do not have no-objection certificate nor have they compiled to other norms. We will clear the applications as and when they comply to the norms.”

The official said the corporation is also short-staffed. “Due to floods in Diva, Mumbra and several areas of the city, we are busy with relief work. However, we will ensure permissions are given in time.”

Last year, permission was given to 280 mandals

Most pandals occupy roads and block traffic.

The corporation gives approval to organisers to set up pandal in a designated space to ensure there is no obstruction to traffic.

Permissions are delayed in the congested areas of the old city where the festival is celebrated grandly.

Sameer Sawant, president of Thane Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, said, “Most mandals prefer offline registration as they have been following this for years. The older pandals which are registered with the charity commissioner do not have problem with approval. The problem is with the new mandals which take temporary permission ever year.”